Michaelmas| Matthew 18:1-11 and Revelation 12:7-12| Pastor James Preus| Trinity Lutheran Church| September 29, 2024 “I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible.” We confess these words in the Nicene Creed. From Scripture we learn that God has created not only what…
The title of this topic might seem to be needlessly provocative, but it addresses a real theological issue in the Church. When Christ instituted the pastoral office, He instituted it as an exclusively male office. A pastor is a male job, not a female job. For a woman to usurp the office of pastor…
Trinity 17| Luke 14:1-11| Pastor James Preus| Trinity Lutheran Church| September 22, 2024 St. Augustine begins his famous work, Confessions with a prayer to God in which He says, “Man, a little piece of Your creation, desires to praise You, a human being ‘bearing his mortality with him (2 Cor. 4:10), carrying with him…
Old Testament Reading: 1 Kings 17:17-24 17 After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill. And his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. 18 And she said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to…
Gospel: Matthew 6:24-34 24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat…
Trinity 14| Luke 17:11-19| Pastor James Preus| Trinity Lutheran Church| September 1, 2024 In the Small Catechism, Luther explains the fourth petition of the Lord’s Prayer, “Give us this day our daily bread,” with these words, “God certainly gives daily bread to everyone without our prayers, even to all evil people, but we pray…
God is more concerned with worship from the heart than outward observances. The Old Testament declared certain foods unclean and forbid Israel from eating them. The Old Testament Ceremonial Law has been fulfilled in Christ. God no longer requires anyone to observe these ordinances. Seventh Day Adventists’ Arguments for keeping the Sabbath and Dietary…
Trinity 13| Luke 10:23-37| Pastor James Preus| Trinity Lutheran Church| August 25, 2024 We Lutherans have been raised and catechized to understand the distinction between the Law and the Gospel. The Law commands works, while the Gospel offers God’s grace for Christ’s sake to be received through faith. The Law convicts you of sin,…
Trinity 12| Mark 7:31-37| Pastor James Preus| Trinity Lutheran Church| August 18, 2024 In this Gospel lesson, Christ reveals that God wants to be gracious to us through His Word and Sacraments, so that we may find comfort and peace in them. However, the church has become divided on the topic of sacraments, how…